Into the Depths
by LadyxShihoun
Summary: Hana and her daughter Jamila finally have another chance for a real, peaceful, life. But when Hana discovers a mysterious box, she realizes that the contents within are not normal and discovers a supernatural being that could be the end of their new life. OC x Bughuul
1. Chapter 1

_Into the Depths_

_Chapter one_

I have to keep telling myself that this was for the best. Yes, it was very sudden and maybe there could've been a more sane solution; but when your under so much pressure that your soul literally begins to crack, some people need to react instead of thinking. And now here I am on the other side of the United States, somewhere secluded and surrounded by an ocean of trees and the occasional mountain-a place where he won't find me or my daughter, Jamila. I felt like the worst mother for allowing him to hurt us for so long. I could only hope she would allow herself to accept the change. Though her six year old spirit is rather energetic and at times eccentric, her body, unfortunately, is very fragile. Since she was born health complicities have constantly befallen her. Perhaps this new environment would be refreshing for her.

The new house we moved into is quite large, on the internet it seemed much smaller. On the inside there are two floors (not including the basement and attic) enough bedrooms to fit in three more people, a spacious study, a living room, a full kitchen, a dining room, and two full bathrooms. The previous tenants of the house had left behind a lot of furniture; I was told that they had left the house suddenly and were still in the process of moving when they were brutally murdered. I stand on the driveway, examining the exterior of the home. Whoever built the house is very talented, this is the kind of materialistic item that's hard to say no to-I'm still in shock that I could buy something so beautiful for such a cheap price. I could've stared at the house for hours on but the sound of my child trying desperately to lift a box disarrays them.

"Hold on sweetie, let me get that for you." I say, quickly rushing to her side to grab the cardboard box from the ground.

"Thanks mamma." she responds with a toothy smile, I try smiling back but I know it is weary and forceful. I take the box inside the house, Jamila following me, and place it with the others all neatly stacked in the living room. There weren't that many boxes, since the move was drastically sudden, but there was enough to make the empty house feel like a home. All I need now are bed sets, and other personal/hygienic necessities.

"How long are we gonna be here mamma?" Jamila asks and as I turn to give her my attention her eyes are staring out the wide living room window.

"Hopefully for a very long time." I say also glancing out the window to see what could be so interesting about a bunch of trees.

"Like...until your old and smell like prunes," she giggles, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Well yeah, but I don't wanna smell like prunes."

* * *

I order Chinese food, my daughter really likes the sweet and sour chicken and chicken fried rice- well anything that involves chicken she loves. Afterwards we bathe together and I manage to get her in her pajamas for bed. Moving, for children and adults, can be stressful, and I'm not sure why but children always seem to have a burst of energy whenever being in a new environment. At least that's the case with Jamila. We've moved a lot of times before and she always had this barely manageable adrenaline. Luckily, I've learned techniques to put her to sleep. The only thing I know she's willing to sit still for are visual entertainment- and not just any tv show or movie. For reasons unknown she's seems to be really into Marvel. So I pop the X-men movie into the DVD player and she sat on the sofa silently allowing herself to be engulfed by the film.

While I wait for her to doze off, I do a little cleaning around the house. I begin to unpack some of the boxes and dust some of the left behind furniture. I sweep out the master bedroom and begin setting up an air mattress. I stick the air pump tube into the designated entrance and was ready to turn on the electronic pump device when I hear a sound above me. I pause completely and listen. It's more of a heavy thumping sound, like a man's footsteps. If someone were attempting to sneak in the house they wouldn't be making so much noise, yet I didn't know an animal that could make a noise that defined and loud. The footsteps continue for another minute, the sound specifically concentrates exactly above my head, and then it stops. Hastily I go to my child to see if she is still distracted. When I reach the living room her eyes are still glued to the television screen. I proceed to the pile of boxes searching through them until I found a flashlight. Then I went to where the attic should be. I carefully pull the string down, the stairs leading to the attic drop slowly. I cautiously climb the stairs and allow just my head to peek into the attic, my flashlight illuminates enough for me to realize that there was no person or animal there. And this is a smaller attic, even though the house is big. What is lying on the attic surface is a dark box with the same dark covering. It couldn't have been the source of the noise, and so I deem the house is a bit older and contains awkward unusual sounds.

The sun's soft early rays wake me. Jamila is still soundly asleep so I leave her where she is to start breakfast. As I walk through the hallway towards the stairs to the first floor, I look up and see the attic entrance. I remember the box I had seen last night and found it queer that it was left behind. I thought the family was able to bring back many of their possessions, excluding heavier furniture. Curiosity taking over, I pull down the attic stair case and go up into the dust infested area. The box is black, and written on a white label are the words "Home Movies". I take off the covering and my eyes widen in surprise to see a super 8 film projector-something that was not only older than me but was difficult to get in this advanced era. I take out the camera to discover the film reels beneath it, all the standard eight millimeter footage with labels. My father used to own a super 8 camera when he thought, during his younger years, he would be a film director. He showed me how to set up all the equipment that had to do with super 8 footage, just incase his dream ever decided to influence me as well. I look at the labels and notice each one has the year of the films creation; with the exception of the older videos, I find it odd that the more recent films were still shot with the super 8 camera.

I bring the box to the study room, leaving it on a desk until I have extra time to roam through it. I decide breakfast is going to be a little special since this is a new environment and community. I make chocolate chip waffles and cheesy eggs, and this would be the one day I would allow Jamila to take in so many calories so early in the morning. By the time Jamila came to the dining room, the table is full of her favorite breakfast meal and juice.

"What's the occasion!" She says ecstatically.

* * *

"I have to go to school tomorrow?" Jamila whines for the fourth time today.

"I have to go to work tomorrow, Jamila, I can't leave you alone for six hours. Plus, I'm working in the same building so I won't be far if you need me,"

"But...I'm scared..." I glance down at her as her hold on my hand tightens. I thought taking a walk through the neighborhood would help me break it down to her that we, seriously, will be living here for a long long time. But Jamila is so used to moving around that, I guess, it's hard for her to understand that we'll actually be staying in this place.

"I've heard that the students are very polite," I say,

"But the big kids will be there too," the school was an all grade school (meaning it's goes from pre-school to high school) and it's reasonable they do that. The community has a small population. There are only 30 kids in Jamila's whole grade.

"They won't bother you, promise," she smiles weakly.

As the house darkens I begin to turn on some lights. Another way to get Jamila to sleep is by filling up her belly. After dinner, the moment her head touched a pillow she was out. With a mug full of tea in hand I go back into the study to set up the projector. There was already a white sheet pinned to a wall so after setting up the footage all I had to do was turn it on. The first film I chose is called "pool party '66". The setting is in the backyard of a family's home. As the label read the family was having a pool event. A few children splash each other in the floaty littered pool. The woman, I guess is the mother, is playing with the children while the father brings out bowls of diced mixed fruit. Everyone in the film seem genuinely happy and I allow some of that emotion to soak into me. I almost began to cry, just wondering how my life became this way.

My parents were poor but did everything they could to make sure I got the education I needed and was cared for to the best of their ability. I was making all the right choices; I got into a good university on a full scholarship, I was an A student, I was making enough money to provide extra necessities for myself so my parents could have a break. I wanted to become someone who could take care of myself, my family, and my parents. My path split into two when I met him. Lucius J. Daring was a wild twenty five year old who probably knew more about partying then he knew algebra. Lucius wasn't the most charismatic, nor brilliant (when it comes to intelligence), but he was kind in his own odd ways and though he could never completely understand me he was always there when I needed him-even when I didn't call him. Ultimately, he was my downfall. He got me pregnant my last year of school, fortunately I was able to graduate and receive my degree before Jamila came along. I was in love with him so when he asked me to marry him I accepted. He met my parents and other family members-they all accepted him. He is an orphan so there was no one to meet on his side. After graduation he decided to go into the military to support his family and for a couple of years everything really was great. I remember my last moment with him while he was still compassionate and loving. I had kissed him goodbye as he headed off to Afghanistan.

Like always we kept in touch through Skype, which is when I began to notice the changes. During a mission a few of Lucius's teammates had been blown to pieces, and he nearly lost an arm. He came home within a few months, and I remember smelling him way before he could even walk through the front door-he reeked of booze. The first week he was awfully quiet, and was annoyed every time I tried to talk with him. The third week he became very aggressive, knocking things over, punching holes in the wall, screaming till his throat couldn't take it due to nightmares. It had been a month of intense arguments, drunken episodes, and a series of broken things when he became violent towards me. For years I'd constantly told myself that it was my fault, that I was doing something wrong, that he was just having difficulties dealing with his frightening experience in Afghanistan. I had lost multiple jobs, we continuously moved, I was having trouble keeping bills payed and at the same time managing my husband's mood. It wasn't until he hit my child that I realized it was time to go. And with mentally unstable soldiers you can't just leave town and expect it to be over. I had tried it, and he found me. By then my parents had died in a car crash and he knew where all my family members lived. I had to get ghost- meaning when the opportunity arises grab only necessary things and drive far far away, with no traces, and never turn back.

Thinking about my past now got me crying. I reach towards the projector to flip it off but then it suddenly goes black. A second later the sunny setting is replaced by night. The camera faces towards pool chairs, a long rope attached to them that crosses to the other side of the pool. Tied to the chairs were people, and one by one the ropes were pulled so that the chairs fell into the water and the people began to drown.

"What the fuck?" my stare intensifies, trying to decipher if this is real. But adding special effects to super 8 footage is extremely difficult-if it's even possible at all. This had to be real. I turn off the footage, stuff all the equipment back in the box and immediately take the box to the trash can outside, thankfully trash day is tomorrow. I didn't have room for tragedy in this new life, I'm still trying to get over my old life. With the box disposed of I went back into the house being sure to lock all the doors and windows before cuddling next to my six year old girl. I couldn't stop thinking about what I had seen.


	2. Chapter 2

_Into the Depths_

_Chapter two_

A guidance counselor from Little Brook High School had died from cardiac arrest-she was rather old and, from the opinion of other associates, loved her job.

I am her replacement. I had been a guidance counselor for other schools so experience isn't a problem, but I had moved so many times and did lose enough jobs for people to want to think twice about hiring me.

Thankfully my employer is understanding and gave me the job with the exception that I planned on being around for longer than a year. After a whole day as a new counselor I could see why the old woman enjoyed her job. The students are respectful, though there were the few that act foolish.

For most of the day I did reviews over all the students I am in charge of. Jamila fit in perfectly, she has always been able to get along well with people, especially kids her own age. She met me at the guidance office, already a couple of kids trailing behind her-as if she had established herself years ago.

"Ready to go?"I ask her,  
"Yep," she says goodbye to the kids around her and we head out the building.

I make baked macaroni and cheese for dinner, another of Jamila's favorite meals. I add a lot of carrots to her plate, and, with the plate, place a glass of water on the table in front of her. Instantly she pouts upon seeing the vegetables.

"But I don't like carrots,"

"To bad sweet pea, there good for you so eat it for the nutrition,"

"I hate nutrition if it has carrots," I chuckle and sit beside her. Jamila began to eat, chewing and swallowing three spoonfuls of carrots before realizing that I'm not eating as well.

"Where's your plate mamma?" I didn't have an appetite at all today ever since I saw that video of the family drowning. I barely ate breakfast and had nothing for lunch, just thinking about the video has me nauseas all over again.

"I'm not hungry right now, but I'll definitely eat later okay. Eat your carrots don't scoot them aside." She gives me the unsure look, something she does when knowing I'm withholding information, but shrugs and continues eating.

* * *

Jamila is fast asleep when I hear the thumping again. I lye in bed staring up at the ceiling listening to the same sound from the day before yesterday. I sigh and quietly make my way out of the bedroom into the hallway where the attic would be.

I go to pull the string but forgot that I didn't have a flashlight. After retrieving one, before pulling the string I listen for the sound; the thumping has gotten louder. I pull down the stair case and go up into the attic completely. I illuminate a few areas, not seeing any person or animal, then the light reveals the box that I swore I threw away yesterday night.

"What?" I walk up to the box, making sure it is the right one, and sure enough written on a white label are the same deceiving words, "Home Movies". I gasp, and search around me, making sure I really am the only one in the attic. I don't touch the box, I just leave the attic.

I'm not crazy, matter fact I have an excellent memory that countless people have praised me for; I know I threw out the box, the dumpster truck had even collected it, so how could it possibly be back in the attic?

Someone could be playing a joke, but how would they know about the box and why go through all the trouble of getting a box from the garbage and bring it back in perfect condition? I go to the kitchen to get a glass of water feeling very sick and confused. I didn't want to believe something crazy like ghosts being in the house, and I want to consider bringing the box to the police-I could assume the rest of the footages are exactly like the first.

I put the glass in the sink wondering whether or not I should eat too. I was going towards the fridge but pause when seeing a small child standing next to it. Her hair is long and a pale auburn color. Her skin is pale too, so pale in fact that I could see many of the veins along her bony arms and legs. She looks the same age as Jamila. I remain still, gazing into her eyes that are awfully lifeless.

The girl lifts her arm, pointing to me with her index finger, then presses the appendage to her chapped lips-as if hushing me. I copy her, pressing my own finger against my lips. She nods her head, then turns and walks away. And with each step taken her body grew transparent until there is nothing left of her to see.

* * *

Bughuul stares at the new house intrusion from the bushes, staring through the kitchen window, watching the woman expel into the sink. He could see the utter confusion written upon her countenance, and perhaps detects terror breeding within her heart. She knew the box within the attic is not natural, yet, as all humans do, she denies it's strangeness.

Bughuul also knows that she would become curious-all humans are- just as she had desired to know what was hidden in the films, thus releasing him into this realm unbeknownst to her. The woman rinses out her mouth with water, then gazes into the sink, musing. He decides to go closer, willing his body to be invisible.

He wills his body to walk through the solid wall leading into the kitchen, then stands behind the woman examining her more closely. Thick, tight curly black hair the extends slightly past her mandible. Chestnut skin, a slim body with a defined waist curvature. She turns around looking at a random space within the room.

Her eyes are dark brown, a small nose, plump dark brown lips. Her hair kept off her face, the thicker strands tucked behind round ears, slight cheekbones, the overall structure of her face is heart shaped. She is quite stunning in his eyes, and he did feel a strong spiritual energy emerging from her-yet she could not sense it. Admittedly he is tempted to taste this woman's essence, but he is not here for this mature soul but the naive and innocent spirit that slept upstairs. And thus he leaves the woman and goes to the slumbering child.

He circles the bed, feeling the child's innocence seeping from her heart. Pausing at the foot of the bed, Bughuul raises his hands spreading them apart. The air around him does his bidding, going to the child and taking a little of her vitality. The moving air brings it back to its dominator, and he absorbs the small life force. Instantly, his body tingles in satisfaction, the energy rushing through his veins like wildfire.

He gasps as it finally rests in his heart rejuvenating him. He smiles, almost on the verge of laughter. He had not tasted such a remarkably delicious soul in over a millennia. He wants to completely devour this child now, her life force could fulfill his constant hunger for the rest of the century.

But he physically could not. His form in this realm takes a lot of his power, and still his form is not intact. He appears much grimmer and heinous than wanting to, and quite frightening-based upon the reactions of humans when he reveals himself to them. With this child's soul his power would intensify and he would be able to travel through realms as much as he wanted, not needing to be summoned by the films any longer.

Now stimulated by the thought of consuming this child's soul, Bughuul began to create a plan. Just as all the other nuisances, the mother must die, but he could tell she is no fool. Usually after watching the first film the humans were more curious to see the rest.

Yet she only watched one and impulsively threw out the box. Then, when he returned the supernatural item, and made a little noise to peak her curiosity, she left the box and would likely not visit the attic again unless further provoked-and she could not be fooled by the sounds of footsteps.

Placing the box in a visible location would only frustrate her, and that would still not make her watch the rest. He could put the children spirits he took to good use, but each time they visit this realm they rot faster-since time moves quicker then in his own realm. In his current state he could only influence humans that are in the house, much to his dismay.

He could only reveal himself to her through the films, If the woman did not spot him in the films, thus truly releasing him, he would not be able to access his other powers which are needed in persuading the child to murder her mother. He could only influence the child in her dreams, but the moment she wakes memories of him would be lost. Bughuul growls, this would be a challenge.


End file.
